Happy Christmas My Love

Chapter 4
Christmas Day

After the yummiest breakfast of scrambled eggs, Daddy letting Sophie spoon the food into her own mouth despite the inevitable mess that’s created, both around her mouth and on the table, it’s finally time to open the presents! Daddy has to wipe Sophie’s hands and mouth for her as she’s too busy squirming off the chair and trying to make a bee-line for the pretty tree in the living room.

Her chubby fingers grasp at the biggest present she can find. She finds the tag and tries to read it but the letters are just squiggles to her. As if the alphabet has fallen out of her silly head. She wants to open it, she needs to know what could be inside, the curiosity a huge buzz. But it might not be for her. She struggles to remember what she bought Daddy (back when he was Gavin to her).

Little girls and boys don’t buy their Daddies and Mummies presents. Santa takes care of that by himself until they’re older.

Daddy sits on the floor and pulls Sophie onto his lap.

"Slow down there, partner. They’re not going anywhere." He chuckles and reaches in the pile of presents; "Now choose which one we’re going to open first?"

This doesn’t need much thinking. Sophie points to the biggest present.

"Da’ one!"

Daddy tuts; "You should go for the smaller ones first to build up the excitement, y’know."

But Sophie shakes her head and keeps pointing eagerly.

"Wan’ dat one, Daddy!" She almost squeals, so desperate.

"Okay, okay. But we have a smaller one after." He says and pulls the big wrapped box close; "Now try to pull the paper but not too rough now. Daddy will help a little."

Sophie nods and tries to co-ordinate her hands to tear the paper off. The noise and feel is so thrilling! It’s almost as good as finding out what the toy inside actually is.

But what is inside doesn’t deflate her in the slightest.

"A caw!" She practically shrieks as she sees the picture on the box that’s as big as her.

A pink and purple Disney themed Cozy Coupe. She had a similar one when she was a real little girl, except that one was red and yellow - the most common colour they came in at the time. This one seems as new and fresh as her toddler body. Sophie bounces up and down as Daddy opens the box and reveals the tiny plastic vehicle in all its splendor.

Sophie opens the easy side door and grasps hold of the wheel, eager to take it for a text drive. It’s so light and simple to push as she toddles and steer where she wants to go. She steers towards Daddy’s long legs and he doesn’t make much effort to move out of the way. Instead he makes a show of looking terrified.

"Oh dear, you’re gonna run me over! Noooo!" He makes a show of falling backwards onto his bottom, making Sophie explode into giggles before running out the car.

She throws herself around Daddy.

"I ’wove it!" She lisps, feeling the familiar fireworks from last night help bring her back to that child-like whimsy.

Daddy gives her a big sloppy kiss and turns her back to face the tree.

"Well I hope to get more cuddles for the rest of these." He smiles and lets her choose another one.

The car does top them all, but her other gifts are just as lovely. A toy castle with round dolls that are just the right size for playing and with no too small pieces for her. A playdough hair-dressing kit. A Queen Elsa costume that she begs Daddy to dress her in the moment she sees it along with a cuddly Olaf the Snowman toy. After ten minutes of spinning around singing "Let it Go", twirling around with Olaf till she’s dizzy, Daddy reminds her that there’s still one last present to open under the tree.

She plonks herself back in his lap. The last present is small but she feels like it might still be something special because Daddy waited until last to reveal it to her. She takes it in her hands and tries to unwrap it carefully. Daddy puts his hands under hers in case she drops it because she is rather clumsy from all the excitement.

Inside is a snow-globe. It’s so pretty that it makes her gasp and stare at it for a good ten seconds before Daddy finally speaks.

"Do you like it? Wanna give it a shake? Very gentle now..." He encourages, softly.

Inside the globe is a little figurine of a man and a little girl - just like her. She’s sitting on her daddy’s lap with a wrapped gift in her hand while he cuddles her. Only instead of being inside in the warm, they’re sitting outside in the snow, only it doesn’t seem to bother them. They both have the biggest smiles on their faces. Sophie grins and gives it a light shake, making the snowflakes flutter up and then over the pair of them.

She whispers a ’wow’ as she continues to stare at it. She almost feels like her head is a snow globe right now. Still and full of space one minute, the single and simplest of images in her head, only to be easily shaken up and filled with the prettiest of festive sparkles and confetti. She shakes it again and this time pretends that she’s the Snow Queen herself, controlling the winter inside the little world. It makes her giggle again.

Daddy kisses her cheek.

"You must have been the very best girl for Santa to bring you so many presents!" He praises her.

Sophie nods. She was a good girl. But she didn’t try to be a good girl just so she would get presents.

Maybe that made her extra good?

Daddy puts the snow-globe above the fireplace, right in the center to catch everyones eyes who enter. Sophie keeps looking up at it while Daddy opens his boring grown up presents. Socks and a shiny watch and cuff-links for his work shirt. One present is a green jumper that has decorations stitched in just like on the tree. Sophie grins and touches the ball-balls that pop out amongst the other designs. It’s a silly jumper! But it’s Christmas and something tells Sophie that all Daddies wear jumpers like that at Christmas.

"Right. I know you’re desperate to try out your new car, aren’t you." Daddy says after the wrapping paper has been put in the recycling bags and Sophie has stopped spinning around in her dress again.

She nods with enthusiasm. She wants everyone to see her new car! So much better than the boring blue one she used to have. That’s far too big for her now as well.

This one has another cartoon girl on the front instead of just a ’H’.

"That’s Sofia the First." Daddy tells her. Because it’s written below her picture.

Sophie claps her hands; "That’s wike my name!"

"Almost. You’re both princess as well."

This time Sophie pulls a face and shakes her head.

"Nope! I’m a Queen, Daddy!" She does another spin; "Wike El’tha!"

"Oh, of course! Forgive me, Your Highness." Daddy says with the grandest of bows. "Allow me to fetch your boots and coat for your royal outing!"

Sophie wishes she had a warm furry cloak to go with the dress but then that wouldn’t be in character. The cold never bothered Elsa anyway. Except it did bother Sophie a little. She has to take her dress off just for a little while so Daddy can put her into a fluffy pink snow-suit. It’s too cold outside for royal dresses and she wouldn’t want to get it dirty.

The snow-suit looks a bit silly, she finds as she examines herself in the mirror after Daddy helps her into it. It has a pair of bunny ears and a matching white tail. She feels like she should take Cotton with her so they almost match. Daddy puts a pair of wellies on her feet before slipping the attached mittens over her hands. He picks her up and fits her into the Cosy Coupe that has a seat as well for being pushed in instead of walking.

Daddy puts on his own coat and opens the door. The blizzard from last night is long gone, the sky a serene white while a blanket of snow coats the neighborhood. Other children and their parents are already outside enjoying their new toys in the weather on this rarest of White Christmases.

Sophie feels proud as punch as Daddy pushes her out in her special car along the pavement. He rolls her down a hill, making her chortle, knowing he will keep a firm grip on the plastic roof so she doesn’t roll away into the road - not that there are any cars out today. The roads haven’t even been gritted yet, not in this humble and safe area. Sophie has a go at walking and pushing the car back up the hill with Daddy’s help. As small as she is, she feels so grown-up and special in her car, with some of the other kids her age in buggies or indoors.

Another father from down the road waves Gavin over. He’s playing with his daughters who are just a little older than Sophie. She can already see the jealousy on their faces - but their sled looks so fun too. She lets the girls each have a ride in the car while Gavin talks to their dad about grown up stuff.

At least that’s what she thinks until she hears her name being mentioned and looks up.

"Looks like it worked wonders for the both of you." The man smiles.

"I wanted to give Sophie a Christmas she’d never forget." Gavin says, unaware that she’s listening in; "She’s worked so hard this year. I knew the car would help get her settled into it."

"Yeah, it was a My Little Pony for Annabelle." The man replies, looking at his youngest daughter who is currently enjoying driving the Cosy Coupe with a look of pure innocence on her face; "The leaflet said a trigger from their own past works best. She’s always happy as a clam now."

Sophie blinks at Annabelle sitting with her sister.

Or...is it her daughter? Is she hearing right...did the man do the same to his wife as Gavin did to her? She faintly remembers seeing the man around town but then realizes that she never saw his daughters with their mother. She puts a mittened hand into her mouth, frowning as she tries to think, her head all shaken up like the snow-globe again.

"Are you going to get round to changing her back soon?" Gavin asks.

The man shrugs; "I should...I keep putting it off. She’s so happy all the time instead of stressed out because of work and the house, and Lydia loves having a sister. I almost wonder if she wants to change back though. I ask her and she says ’just a little bit longer, Daddy’."

Gavin laughs this time; "Well Soph would kill me if this was permanent, even if she did forget herself for a bit. First thing Boxing Day she’ll back to being my gorgeous wife."

"Good luck with that." The man gives a wink. He then looks down to see Sophie staring with confusion up at him.

All he does is grin and ruffle the fluffy hood of her snow-suit.

Sophie wants to ask him some questions. She wants to ask Daddy some questions as well. A nagging worry in the back of her head says she should be more concerned with whatever it is that’s been fed to her, with what’s making her brain feel so fuzzy like she wanted but...she knows she can’t stay like this forever. Or can she?

Like Annabelle? Is her husband going to keep her a little girl forever? She looks over to see the man pick both his ’daughters’ up, one in each arm, giving them a back on the cheek before taking them for the funnest of rides on the sled. Annabelle and her sister’s laughter fills the air. It is just too tempting.

Luckily Daddy takes her hand and gives it a squeeze.

"C’mon then, sweetie. Time to get you ready for Christmas dinner!"

 

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